Electronic warfare suite developed for MiG-27

The suite will be integrated with MiG-29s and Tejas LCA soon, a DRDO official said.

India has successfully tested the electronic warfare (EW) suite for MiG-27 fighter aircraft, to thwart any kind of enemy threats, said a senior official of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Wednesday.

The sophisticated version of MiG-27 fighters will be operational by 2011.

Announcing the latest achievement in the country’s defence warfare capabilities, Dr Prahlada, chief controller, R&D (Ae&SI) of DRDO, speaking on the sidelines of the India National Electronic Warfare Workshop (EWWI-2010) in the city, said the technical know-how would bring India on par with the rest of the world.

“We have successfully integrated the present electronic warfare (EW) systems with MiG-27 fighters. It will be operational from 2011. Similarly, we’ll integrate EW systems with MiG-29 fighters and Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA) by 2011. They are likely to be operational by 2012,” said Prahlada.

Although all the three wings of the Indian armed forces have been using EW systems for long, upgradation of MiG fighters and Tejas is the first step forward in indigenous development by the DRDO.
The DRDO is also building two new test ranges in Chitradurga district in Karnataka and another in Tandur in Andhra Pradesh, which will be operational by 2012 and 2013, respectively. Both the aeronautical ranges will be used to test radar-based EW systems, unmanned aerial vehicles, air-to-ground weapons, huge parachutes, and Tejas LCAs and aerostats.

“We have already acquired the land in Chitradurga. Talks are on with the government to acquire land in Tandur. These are peaceful areas, far-off from populated city spaces and have no risk of any radiation leak,” said Prahlada.